Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC Buys 1,148 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.5% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 79,611 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,148 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.8% of Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 19th largest position. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $72,473,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First National Bank of Hutchinson lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Frisch Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Frisch Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,049 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,045,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Main Street Group LTD increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Main Street Group LTD now owns 1,226 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,221,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC now owns 803 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $769,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SHUTTLEWORTH & Co raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. SHUTTLEWORTH & Co now owns 2,442 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,433,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST opened at $1,046.47 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $463.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.41, a PEG ratio of 4.36 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a fifty day moving average of $947.85 and a 200 day moving average of $971.54. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.06.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. Costco Wholesale’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.87 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 28.32%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Bank of America lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,200.00 to $1,095.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,160.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. CICC Research initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. They set an “outperform” rating and a $1,050.00 price objective on the stock. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,065.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Raymond James Financial dropped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have assigned a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,086.19.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported October net sales of $24.50 billion, up 12.6% year over year. The solid growth supports the view that customer demand and the warehouse model remain healthy. Costco reports October sales results
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s defensive reputation and loyal membership base may appeal to investors seeking stability in uncertain markets, though this is not a new company-specific catalyst. Costco’s capital-preservation role
• Negative Sentiment: Recent commentary warns that COST’s valuation already reflects substantial optimism. With shares above $1,000 and a rich earnings multiple, the stock may be vulnerable if earnings growth does not justify expectations; the company’s healthcare initiatives have not removed that concern. Costco stock valuation and healthcare push

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.